Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

Monday, November 15, 2010

How to get through the holidays without a can of cream of mushroom soup using a homemade version.

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Now if y'all have been reading this recipe site for long, you already know that I am fully endeared to my Campbell's condensed soups and most especially our beloved southern béchamel (that's Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup for those of y'all with a more sophisticated palate). I have several that are pantry staples around here.

So when I went to make a casserole recently I was surprised to see that I didn't have a single can of cream of mushroom soup in the pantry! Somehow that had failed to make it to the shopping list the past few times. It happens.

I figured there was no better time than now to get a copycat cream of mushroom soup recipe up. In my little ole opinion, there is nothing more convenient than Campbell's line of condensed soups, but this makes a superb substitute if you happen to run out yourself, or should you prefer a fresh, homemade alternative.

This recipe for a homemade version of cream of mushroom soup makes just a bit over a quart and is about the equivalent to 4 cans of the condensed soup, and... it is freezable. I've included variations also for cream of chicken and cream of celery, since these are the three most common condensed soups for cooking. The cans are equal to about 1-1/2 cups of the mixture - simply freeze in those portions and you'll always have an emergency substitute. Here's how to make it!

Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute the onion and celery over medium heat until tender but not browned. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and salt; cook and stir about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the flour a little at a time until fully incorporated, about 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium high and slowly add the broth a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Slowly stir in half and half. Use about 1-1/4 cups to replace a can of soup. The recipe makes a little over a quart, or roughly enough to equal about 4 cans. Use any place where you would use Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup. Can be frozen.

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You are my new best friend with this post! I was making chicken noodles this morning at 6AM, don't ask...anyway no cream of chicken soup so I made a quick bechamel and added chicken broth and leftover rotisserie chicken. Very good, surprised myself!

Just milk and butter won't make an accurate replacement for a can of cream of mushroom soup. Even if you omit the mushrooms, you'll need something for thickening and that's where the roux, or flour and butter come in. A classic béchamel sauce, or basic white sauce, that cream of mushroom soup often stands in for, is always going to be butter, flour and milk at minimum. Hope that helps!

You're very welcome Jack! We do love our condensed soups down here in the south don't we? They are just a convenient way to get that wonderful creaminess we love in casseroles. Let me know if you try it!

Mary I just had to share and say I've been making homemade mushroom soup for years and haven't used the can version in so long....Here is something I do that really kicks the mushroom flavor, I buy those dehydrated mushrooms, which ever you like or mix them together, and put them in the oven @ 270-300 for an hour or so, which pulls out the last of the moisture in them. Then I put them in a coffee mill and grind them into pure mushroom powder. It not only makes some serious mushroom soup, but you can use them in gravies and you name it, it also thickens and WOW do you ever get that whole mushroom flavor!

Thank you for this recipe!! Great to know it freezable too. My daughter is allergic to soy protein and wouldn't you know it's in almost EVERY canned product out there! Including cream of mushroom (soy?)

Does this homemade version of cream of mushroom work well as a base for many of the casserole dishes that call for it?

That is actually why I made it up, but I haven't used it as a sub for all of them of course, although I think that it will work for any casserole that uses a cream soup. You will need to taste and make adjustments for seasonings, depending on what you're making.

Honey, you just saved my day! Yes, it's Christmas day. The smoker broke with the turkey in it and by the time we figured that out the turkey wasn't safe. With company coming I pulled some venison cubed steak out of the freezer to salt-water thaw (not as much time as I would like, but I'm desperate!), then started pulling things together to make my go-to cubed steak. No mushroom soup. Christmas day. Even if a store were open I'm just not going there! So thank you, thank you, thank you. And Merry Christmas from my family to yours!!

Hi Allan! My canning if very limited so I really have no expertise there. I mostly do high acid canning like jams & pickles. I'm sure you could can it, but it likely is a pressure canner project though I really don't know. Sorry I can't help there.

This recipe is AMAZING!! My son has a soy allergy and we have gone without cream soup for a while since I have yet to find a canned cream soup without soy. This recipe is perfect!!! I use it in everything ;) THANK YOU!!

I could not wait to try it. I just made it. Do to my msg allergy I had to use fresh mushrooms instead of canned. It was great even my boys loved it. We put it in a bread bowl and served it like they do over here in a restaurant here in Singapore. It was delicious. thanks again. Being a southern girl myself I am happy to have found your site.

Nope! Just let it cool, transfer to freezer containers or a zippered freezer bag and leave some headspace to allow for expansion. When thawing you'll experience some separation, but not to worry. It'll all come together when you thaw and warm, or whisk together.

I made this today to add to my growing number freezer of recipes,it was fantastic.It has so much depth to it,and oh I ate about a half cup of it before I put it in baggies to freeze.Next,the cream of chicken,then I'm going to try and make cream of beef to see how that comes out,looks like it will have to be my own concoction. 5 stars on your recipe.

Keeping mine crossed for you too Terri! I've been on a sweet tea IV for about a month now LOL (well mine has been the diet version sweetened with a sugar substitute) - it's been so hot & humid that we're burning through it down here!

Is this a truly condensed version like straight out of the can or is it more equivalent to after you add milk to the canned soup. Just wondering because I've seen some recipes where you add the milk to the soup and some where your don't. I'm wondering if it would make a difference. Like in say a tater tot casserole would it be too liquidy?

As written, it is condensed, like using the cream soups right out of the can, except this makes about a quart - roughly equal to 4 cans of condensed soup. In other words, to make a soup out of it, you'd have to add water or milk to thin it down just as you do with the canned version. If your recipe calls for a can of undiluted soup, use 1-1/4 of this for each can required.

Thank you! My son has dairy and soy allergies so we haven't had a casserole in a while since we can't use canned soups. I did this recipe with all chicken broth and our butter and it's amazing! Thanks again!

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